What Are the Best Tips for Buying New Percussion?

When buying new percussion instruments, it’s important for a musician to consider a few significant factors. Budget is key. A musician should also consider how the instrument is going to be used and where it is going to be played. Quality is also important, and a musician must choose whether to target a particular brand name or to buy a new or used instrument. There are also advantages and disadvantages to buying online versus in a retail store.

Working within budget is important when buying new percussion. It’s easy to get carried away buying accessories for percussive instruments, such as extra cymbals, shakers, or tambourines. Trading in used musical items for new ones through retail stores is a great way to save money on new purchases. A trade-in often garners a better price for a customer buying from the store he or she is trading with. This is called in-store credit.

Buying used gear can save as much as 60 percent off compared to new musical instruments, depending on the condition, brand, and market value. New percussion should be relatively untouched and never played out of the store. It should have no cosmetic wear and be flawless in performance relative to the quality of a drum’s vibrations.

Consider the types venues and practice space available when buying new percussion. If there is a noise limit, steps can be taken to make drum set practice possible without bothering the neighbors. Dampening pads are available for the skins of the drums, which lower their volume. Additionally, one can buy electric drums for total volume control, but they are more expensive than most live drum sets.

For some, brand name is a nonfactor in purchasing, but others will buy only one particular brand whenever shopping for an instrument. A person can save money by going with economy brands like Percussion Plus (UK) or Tama. Gretsch drums tend to range on a higher priced level. Ludwig and Pearl are reliable brands that make both high and low-end drum sets. The Mapex Tornado is a solid choice for a starter drum set.

Buying online gives the customer the largest amount of options for drums and other percussion instruments. It also provides the opportunity to compare the best prices for a new instrument by browsing through various Web sites. Visiting a retail store, on the other hand, avoids shipping costs, which can be significant. A brick-and-mortar store also allows a musician to try new percussion before he or she buys.